COLORADO v. JAMES CRAIG (23CR664)

The Death of Angela Craig

Angela Craig, 43, of Aurora, Colorado, died of toxic chemical poisoning at UC Health University of Colorado Hospital on March 18, 2023. The following day, her husband of 23 years—local dentist James Craig—was arrested for murder. The couple shared six children, born between 2002 and 2014. Angela, a devoted stay-at-home mother, homeschooled the children and served as a Family History Consultant in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Financial Difficulties

James Craig founded Summerbrook Dental Group in 2009. A decade later, he took out a couple of loans totaling $918,000 against the family home in an effort to settle mounting debts. Despite this, he still owed $315,000 in back taxes to the IRS. James filed for bankruptcy in 2021 and was reportedly preparing to file again in 2022. Testimony revealed that he had also lost nearly $1 million in speculative cryptocurrency investments.

Angela carried four substantial life insurance policies at the time of her death. The total payout was $4 million. James Craig, her allegedly grieving husband, was the sole beneficiary.

Addictions and Infidelity

Witnesses testified that James Craig struggled with multiple addictions, including pornography and gambling. He was described as someone who “loved to take risks.” Angela’s sister recounted how James had recently lost another $2,000 during a trip to Las Vegas—even as the family faced dire financial challenges.

James admitted to having multiple extramarital affairs over the years. At the time of Angela’s death, he was in an ongoing relationship with fellow dentist Karin Cain, whom he met just weeks earlier at a dental conference in Las Vegas.

He also identified as a “sugar daddy” and had a profile on a website designed to connect people seeking financially-supported companionship. Several of his “sugar babies” testified at trial, and it was confirmed that James hired a prostitute during his most recent Vegas trip.

Four Batches of Poison

Angela’s toxicology reports revealed she had ingested potassium cyanide, arsenic, and tetrahydrozoline—the active chemical found in Visine eye drops.

James purchased each of these substances in the weeks leading up to her death. On one occasion, he bought twelve bottles of Visine in a single transaction. He ordered arsenic and potassium cyanide online, and investigators later intercepted a shipment of oleandrin—another deadly plant-based toxin—before it could be delivered.

Angela became ill shortly after James came into possession of the first batch of arsenic.

Google Searches

James Craig’s internet search history became a damning witness. In the weeks prior to Angela’s death, he conducted numerous online searches that, in hindsight, read like a step-by-step playbook for committing murder:

February 27, 2023: “Is there such thing as an undetectable poison”

February 27, 2023: “How to make poison from oleander”

February 27, 2023: “Is arsenic detectable”

February 27, 2023: “How many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human”

February 28, 2023: “How to make murder look like a heart attack”

February 28, 2023: “A dose of tetrahydrozoline is fatal”

March 1, 2023: “How long does it take to die from arsenic poisoning”

March 6, 2023: “Visine”

March 6, 2023: “Tetrahydrozoline poisoning timeline”

Despite James Craig’s professional intelligence and clinical access to chemical compounds, his search history—and digital footprint—ultimately helped unravel the truth.